Shah, Yang are Cougar champions
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
Kinjal Shah and Jessica Yang were unbeatable as a JV doubles team last year.
The Montgomery High School duo has proven just as tough to beat at the varsity level. The Cougars captured the first doubles title at the Somerset County Tournament on Sunday, 7-6 (7-2), 6-1 over Bridgewater-Raritan’s Avanty Kavi and Kaylyn Kavi.
”It felt really good,” said Shah, a senior. “Bridgewater was a good team. It was a good victory. We were really happy to win.”
With the win, the two remain unbeaten through this season, their second season playing together.
”It’s definitely a huge advantage,” said Yang, who is a junior. “We’re able to communicate so easily.
”She’s amazing at net. I’m pretty consistent. I think it’s been working out pretty well for us.”
Their win helped Montgomery finish third in the overall team standings, just one point behind Ridge. Bridgewater won the team title. The Cougars came close to sweeping the doubles, but Stephanie Allen and Tiffany Zhu were edged in the second doubles final, 6-2, 5-7, 6-3, by Shelly Li and Angela Chen of Bridgewater.
It’s the first year together for Zhu, a junior, and Allen, who is a sophomore. They fought back from a big deficit to knock off Pingry in the semifinals, and came back to force a third set in the championship match as well.
”It took a while to get that combination together,” said MHS head coach Cristina Venetucci. “I couldn’t figure out who was going to be Tiffany’s partner, but after seeing a lot of play with the two of them, it seemed like they got along well on the court. Tiffany is kind of quiet and Stephanie is the one to get her riled up — in a good way. They feed off each other very well.”
Allen and Zhu were also unbeaten in matches together this year, but were seeded third for the SCT. They finished higher than that, while the MHS first doubles team lived up to their top seeding.
”They’re a tough team,” Venetucci said. “They’ve been playing a lot together. Last year, they were the first doubles team on JV. They definitely know each other’s games well. I knew they’d put up a fight no matter who they were playing.
”They definitely have good communication between each other. Jess doesn’t like to approach the net too much. They start both back. Once Kinjal has the opportunity to get right up at net, whatever Kinjal can get, she’ll get and she knows Jessica has her back. It’s a nice combination there where they can rely on each other. They communicate well with each other. They work well together.”
The two have been producing solid results because of their experience and work together.
”Our individual skills aren’t that good,” Yang said, “but our teamwork, I think that’s what sets us apart from other teams.”
That teamwork paid of when things got tight in the first set. Montgomery had to pull out a 7-2 win in the tiebreaking game to win the first set.
”I think it was more working together as a pair and keeping our game strong,” Shah said. “Not letting our mental game falter.”
Once the Cougars pulled out the tight first set, it gave them momentum for the second set in which they cruised to a win.
”Winning the tiebreak was amazing,” Yang said. “It definitely gave us a boost of confidence. The second set, it definitely went a lot smoother since we won the first set.
”In the second set, we could tell our opponents were getting a bit nervous. We definitely improved in the second set. It was kind of us improving and them getting a bit nervous.”
The win was the perfect way for Shah to go out in her first and final year of varsity tennis.
”It was definitely a lot of fun to win as a senior,” Shah said. “I play tennis a lot for fun. It was fun to come to the tournament and play our best and do very well.”
Just making the lineup was a big deal after three years on JV, all years in which she was coached by Venetucci, who moved up this season for her first year as head coach.
”Our coach has coached us so well over the past couple months,” Shah said. “She’s helped us so much. She was our coach for JV. She’s helped me since freshman year to become a better player.”
Shah and Yang are two of the new players in an MHS lineup that was forced to rebuild after significant graduation losses and the decision by last year’s first singles player not to play. The Cougars, though, still managed to finish third.
”We were all really glad,” Shah said. “The whole varsity team graduated basically, but we all felt we’re still strong. We were able to keep our intensity up and felt it was an amazing outcome.”
Added Yang: “It’s definitely a big jump to varsity, but we’re definitely ready.”
The play of both doubles teams helped the Cougars. Both have gotten off to fast starts to the season.
”All four of us on the Montgomery doubles teams, we were all so excited finding we were going to the finals,” Shah said. “It was good to have another team there. You know they were going through it with you.”
The prior season’s experience made it easier for the Cougars’ top doubles team to play at a high level right off the bat this season.
”We got to go right into improving our game this year,” Shah said. “We got to start out a little further in our doubles pair.”
They already learned plenty about each other on the court from last season. It made making the jump to varsity a lot easier.
”We know each others strengths and weaknesses,” Shah said. “We can play up our strengths and cover each other’s weaknesses. We’re also really good friends outside of tennis. We have a lot of fun playing together.
”Last year, we experimented with a lot of different positions. I love being at net. I’m a fairly short person, so it makes me feel tall. She’s very good at baseline. We discovered that first year. That’s how we like to play it. We switch it up as much as we can, but in a tough match, we play the way that works best for us.”
It’s the final season together for Shah and Yang. While Shah will graduate, Yang is hoping she can try her hand in a new flight.
”Next year, I definitely want a singles spot,” said Yang, who is fourth on the singles challenge ladder. “Hopefully I can play singles next year.”
Having each other worked out well for this year. Shah never likes to look too far ahead, but winning a championship at the SCT is a big boost for her and Yang as they head into the remainder of their final season together.
”We’re definitely a lot more pumped up,” Shah said. “We’ve seen how we play against other teams in the county. We know we are able to compete with all them. We know we’re at their level now.”